A process for preparing polyketones from carbon monoxide and ethylene is disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,689,460 and 3,694,412. The catalysts described therein are complexes of a palladium chloride or .pi.-allylpalladium chloride and two trihydrocarbylphosphine monodentate ligands, e.g., triphenylphosphine. However, the polymer yields remain relatively small, viz. less than 35 g/g Pd/hour at a pressure of 70 bar. Another process for preparing polyketones is discussed by Sen and Lai in the article entitled "Novel Palladium (II)-Catalyzed Copolymerization of Carbon Monoxide with Olefins", J. Am. Chem. Soc. 1982, 104, 3520-3522.
A new process for preparing polyketones in high yields is disclosed.